ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — For many people in Western North Carolina, Monday night’s flooding wasn’t just another severe weather event. It was a painful reminder of a disaster from which they are still trying to recover.
Swiftwater rescue teams evacuated multiple people from stranded vehicles in Henderson County as torrential rain sent creeks and rivers out of their banks, washed out roads and triggered flood warnings across Henderson, Buncombe and Rutherford counties. Authorities reported no serious injuries, but emergency officials urged residents to stay off the roads as crews assessed damage and flooding continued in several areas.
The flooding struck some of the same communities devastated by Helene about 20 months ago, including Bat Cave, Gerton, Chimney Rock and areas around Lake Lure. In many places, recovery work remains ongoing.
“This isn’t just another storm,” one Western North Carolina resident wrote on social media as reports of flooding spread Monday night. “It’s reopening wounds many communities never fully healed from.”
Rescues, road damage and renewed concerns
Heavy rainfall, estimated by some weather reports at 6 to 10 inches in parts of the region, overwhelmed mountain streams and drainage systems.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed multiple swiftwater rescues involving flooded vehicles Monday evening. Residents reported washed-out roads, damaged driveways and localized flooding from Edneyville to Bat Cave.
Officials with the Gerton Fire Department urged motorists to avoid travel in the area, warning that several roads had become impassable.
Among the hardest-hit areas was Bearwallow Mountain Road in eastern Henderson County, where newly repaired sections of roadway reportedly suffered fresh damage after the overnight downpours.
Photos circulating online showed floodwaters covering roadways, debris scattered across mountain roads and swollen rivers rushing through communities that only recently completed repairs from Helene.
Communities reliving Helene
Across social media Tuesday morning, residents described a familiar feeling: anxiety.
Many said the sound of heavy rain and images of rising water immediately brought back memories of Tropical Storm Helene and its catastrophic flooding across the mountains in September 2024.
One resident wrote that every period of prolonged rain now raises anxiety levels throughout the region. Another described the emotional toll of watching roads, properties and infrastructure damaged again after months of rebuilding efforts.
Several residents used the term “PTSD” to describe what many in the region experience whenever significant rainfall is forecast.
A Flat Rock resident said people across the mountains remain on edge because some communities have never fully recovered from Helene’s destruction. Others expressed heartbreak at seeing water rescues underway once again in places where recovery projects were nearing completion.
One resident whose property sits between Fairview and Gerton described roads washing out and landslides cutting off access. Another said family members in the Bat Cave area had worked tirelessly to rebuild, only to face new evacuation orders and flood threats.
“The community is strong and resilient,” one commenter wrote, “but they could sure use a break.”
Bat Cave and Chimney Rock back in the spotlight
The flooding drew particular attention because of its impact on Bat Cave and Chimney Rock, communities that became symbols of Helene’s devastation.
Residents and visitors shared reports of rapidly rising water, emergency evacuations and swiftwater rescue operations. Several social media users posted messages asking for prayers and support for families in the area.
One resident said the community remains far from fully recovered from Helene and described watching newly restored farmland and infrastructure threatened once again by floodwaters.
Emergency sirens were activated Monday in portions of Rutherford County north of Chimney Rock as officials monitored flooding along the Rocky Broad River.
By Tuesday morning, officials in Chimney Rock Village reported that while the river was flowing rapidly through town, its banks appeared stable and local emergency crews continued monitoring conditions.
Lake Lure residents voice frustrations
The latest storm also reignited concerns among some Lake Lure property owners who are still dealing with debris and damage linked to Helene.
Several residents questioned whether additional measures could have been taken to manage debris entering the lake during heavy rainfall events.
In a statement Tuesday, the Town of Lake Lure said officials continued assessing conditions following the storm and were maintaining the lake near its target elevation of 990.5 feet above mean sea level. Officials reported the lake level at 990.32 feet Tuesday morning.
The town emphasized it was maintaining normal operating levels rather than actively lowering the lake.
Flood advisories remain in effect
The National Weather Service continued flood advisories Tuesday for portions of Henderson County and along the French Broad River near Fletcher.
Forecasters said flooding along Mud Creek had begun receding Tuesday morning but warned that lingering high water remained possible in low-lying areas around Hendersonville, Fletcher, Flat Rock, Mills River, Edneyville and nearby communities.
The French Broad River near Old Fanning Bridge Road remained above advisory levels Tuesday morning at 10.9 feet. Forecasters expected water levels to gradually fall through the day.
Weather officials also warned residents in mountainous terrain about the continuing risk of debris flows and landslides during periods of prolonged heavy rainfall.
Emergency managers continue urging drivers to obey road closures and avoid flooded roadways.
“Turn around, don’t drown,” the National Weather Service reminded residents in Tuesday’s advisory.
For many mountain residents, however, the concern extends beyond flooded roads.
As one local resident observed online Tuesday morning, the region has spent nearly two years rebuilding homes, businesses and lives after Helene. Seeing rivers rise again has reminded many just how fragile that recovery remains.
And with additional rain still in the forecast this week, communities across Western North Carolina are watching the skies once again.